1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the field of control board configuration, and in particular, to an appliance control board utilizing dual means of configuration, preferably in conjunction with an external electronic programming device or in normal manners without the use of an external device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the commercial laundry field it is desirable to provide laundry appliances, such as washers and dryers, with owner selectable features. For example, a laundromat owner or route operator may wish to configure one or more appliances to provide a selected cycle length for a selected price. Different owners may wish to configure similar appliances to provide different operation, such as cycle length, at different prices, or to modify previously-selected parameters in response to changing market or competitive conditions, for example.
For these reasons, manufacturers of such appliances often provide ways in which the appliance can be configured or reconfigured as desired. For example, the coin receiving mechanisms typically utilized in conjunction with vending machines including commercial laundry appliances permit the owner to select a desired vend price from a range of available prices. Many techniques are known for providing such selectable pricing, including techniques for mechanically adjusting an electro-mechanical coin mechanism or counter. Mechanical means such as mechanical three-way adjustable price setters and linkage to quickly change the coin control mechanism among any one of three preset prices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,828,097 (Kresta et al.) and 4,844,229 (Friedman et al.). A vender having a plurality of switches which can easily preset the vend price by suitably opening and closing these switches is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,775 (Hayashi). Electronic means utilizing selection switches which are also used for sale purposes to store data in a microcomputer vending machine are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,316,532 (Levasseur) and 4,706,794 (Awane et al.). An appliance programmer integrated circuit having a basic program of operation which may be modified two ways is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,599 (Karklys). The basic program may be automatically altered by a program change command circuit which is incorporated in the programmer circuit and which scans certain terminals of the circuit to determine the particular program application. The operator is provided with switches for selectively altering the basic program.
Similar adjustments have been provided for certain of the mechanical operations of an appliance. For example, electronic and electro-mechanical timers have been used in conjunction with washers and dryers in a commercial laundry environment wherein user-selectable timing intervals are provided. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,014 (Harris) describes a mechanically adjustable interval cycle timer. Rotation of a setting shaft changes the angular position of a stop lug which in turn controls the starting position of a lug which in turn controls the starting position of a lug or reset gear. U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,378 (Holzer) describes a mechanical device for changing the program of washing machines by using switching means controlled by a keyplate.
State-of-the-art commercial laundry appliances today further incorporate data accumulation and communication capabilities. For example, switches or electro-optical detectors may be provided to monitor certain aspects of machine operation, such as monies deposited, cycles vended, certain door openings, power failures and other useful information. These data may be retained in electronic memory within the appliance and subsequently communicated to a portable collection unit, such as a hand held probe or computer. Systems of this type are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,369,442 (Werth et al.); 4,216,461 (Werth et al.) and 4,306,219 (Main et al.). In such a system, the laundry appliance is provided with an appropriate means for establishing communication with an external device, such as an infrared optical communication link.
It is known to utilize electronic means for configuring the operating parameters of a vending machine. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,539 (Heeger) describes a sequence controller utilizing a microprocessor to control timing and other sequence information in connection with a vending machine. The specific timing parameters are alterable electronically by means of a service module which may be coupled to the vending machine to alter certain memory code corresponding to sequence timing and other aspects of the machine operation, as desired. Thus, the vending machine is flexibly reconfigurable for various modes operation, utilizing a detachable electronic module.
The prior approaches for permitting a user to selectably configure an appliance as described above have many limitations. Many appliances require access by the user to the interior of the appliance to make the necessary adjustments or to set the corresponding switch selectors in the desired location. Anyone having access to the interior of the machine is therefore capable of adjusting these settings, which presents opportunities for error or fraud. It is highly desirable, therefore, to provide a configurable appliance which also provides protection against error or fraud. The vending machine of Heeger requires a specialized electronic service module in order for the owner to make adjustments in operation of the vending machine thereby adding expense and presenting difficulties if the programming module is unavailable.
It is desirable to provide commercial laundry appliances which may be used in conjunction with external electronic programming devices, such as a hand held data probe, or in the normal manners without use of any external devices. Such flexibility permits the owner or route operator to purchase appliances for use in substantially standard manners, without purchasing portable data devices, yet permits the owner or operator to upgrade in the future by purchasing a hand held data probe and converting to more flexible operation taking full advantage of the capabilities offered by this combination. Unfortunately, none of the prior art devices or methods provide for such a dual-mode flexibility.
In addition, it is desirable to provide commercial laundry appliances having such dual flexibility with the added security of defeating unintended manipulation of the appliance by anyone who has access to the interior of the appliance once a data probe has been used to configure the laundry appliance. In order to reconfigure or alter the configuration of the appliance, a valid programming data probe must be used. Unfortunately, none of the prior art devices or methods provide for such dual-mode flexibility with the added security of preventing unintended manipulation of the appliance.